Olympus SP-590 UZ vs Panasonic GX7

Let's look more in depth at the Olympus SP-590 UZ versus Panasonic GX7, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a huge gap among the sensor resolutions of the SP-590 UZ (12MP) and GX7 (16MP) and the SP-590 UZ (1/2.3") and GX7 (Four Thirds) boast different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The SP-590 UZ was launched 5 years prior to the GX7 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus SP-590 UZ being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic GX7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go into a complete comparison, here is a quick overview of how the SP-590 UZ matches up against the GX7 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SP-590 UZ and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus SP-590 UZ Gallery and Panasonic GX7 Gallery.

For those who are going to carry your camera frequently, you need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus SP-590 UZ enjoys external measurements of 116mm x 84mm x 81mm (4.6" x 3.3" x 3.2") with a weight of 413 grams (0.91 lbs) and the Panasonic GX7 has measurements of 123mm x 71mm x 55mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 2.2") with a weight of 402 grams (0.89 lbs).

See the Olympus SP-590 UZ versus Panasonic GX7 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are employing at that time. Following is a front view measurement comparison of the SP-590 UZ and the GX7.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SP-590 UZ and GX7 is 72 and 81 respectively.

Sometimes, it's tough to imagine the difference in sensor sizing only by looking through specs. The photograph here may offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the SP-590 UZ and GX7.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SP-590 UZ due to its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF trickier and the Panasonic GX7 will result in more detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop photos more aggressively. The older SP-590 UZ will be behind in sensor technology.